Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth around Rs 13,430 crore in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh today. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister offered salutations to Lord Narasimha Swamy of Ahobilam and Shri Mahanandishwara Swamy of Mahanandi. He also sought blessings from Guru Shri Raghavendra Swamy of Mantralayam for the wellbeing of all.

Reciting a verse from the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram—“Saurashtre Somnatham cha Srisaila Mallikarjunam”, Shri Modi highlighted that among the twelve Jyotirlingas, the names of Lord Somnath and Lord Mallikarjuna appear together at the beginning. “It is my fortune to have been born on the sacred land of Somnath in Gujarat, to have had the opportunity to serve the land of Baba Vishwanath in Kashi, and now to receive the blessings of Srisailam”, said Shri Modi. Following his visit to Srisailam, the Prime Minister paid tribute at the Shivaji Spurti Kendra and extended his respects to Chhatrapati Maharaj from the dais. He offered salutations to revered Shaivite saints such as Allama Prabhu and Akkamahadevi. He also paid homage to great freedom fighters including Shri Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy Garu and Shri Hari Sarvottama Rao.

“Andhra Pradesh is a land of pride and rich culture, as well as a hub of science and innovation”, affirmed the Prime Minister, emphasising the state's limitless potential and the boundless capabilities of its youth. He remarked that what Andhra Pradesh needed was the right vision and leadership. Today, with leaders like Chandrababu Naidu Garu and Pawan Kalyan Garu, Andhra Pradesh possesses visionary leadership along with full support from the Central Government, said the Prime Minister.

Highlighting that over the past sixteen months, Andhra Pradesh has witnessed rapid development, with unprecedented progress under their  Governments at the Union and state, Shri Modi noted that Delhi and Amaravati are working together towards accelerated growth. Shri Modi reaffirmed that by 2047, India will surely be a developed nation and the 21st century belongs to India and its 140 crore citizens. He announced the inauguration and foundation laying of several projects related to roads, electricity, railways, highways, and trade. These initiatives will strengthen connectivity across the state, boost industrial growth, and improve the ease of living for citizens. The Prime Minister emphasized that these projects will greatly benefit Kurnool and surrounding regions, and extended his congratulations to the people of the state.

Emphasising that energy security is essential for the development of any nation or state, the Prime Minister announced the launch of a transmission project worth approximately ₹3,000 crore in the power sector, which will further enhance the country’s energy capacity. He urged citizens not to forget past conditions amidst rapid development. Eleven years ago, Shri Modi said that under the opposition-led central government, per capita electricity consumption was less than 1,000 units, and the country faced challenges like blackouts. Thousands of villages lacked even basic electricity poles. He highlighted that today, from clean energy to total energy production, India is setting new records across all sectors. Electricity has reached every village, per capita consumption has increased to 1,400 units, and both industry and households are receiving adequate power supply, noted the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister highlighted that Andhra Pradesh is a major hub of India’s energy revolution. He announced the launch of the Natural Gas Pipeline Project from Srikakulam to Angul, which will supply gas to approximately fifteen lakh households. He also inaugurated an LPG Bottling Plant in Chittoor, with a daily filling capacity of twenty thousand cylinders. This facility is expected to generate employment in the local transport and storage sectors and create new opportunities for the youth.

“Multi-modal infrastructure is developing rapidly across the country and we are focusing strongly on connectivity, from villages to cities and from cities to ports”, emphasised the Prime Minister. He further announced that the newly constructed highway between Sabbavaram and Sheelanagar will further enhance connectivity. In the railway sector, he remarked that a new era has begun with the launch of new rail lines and the construction of rail flyovers, which will improve passenger convenience and provide fresh momentum to industries in the region.

Stressing that the nation is committed to the goal of a developed India by 2047, and this resolve is being energized by the vision of Swarna Andhra, the Prime Minister remarked that Andhra Pradesh and its youth have always been at the forefront of technology, and under their governments at the Union and the state, this potential is being further harnessed and expanded.

“Today, the world is witnessing the speed and scale of progress in India and Andhra Pradesh”, said Shri Modi, highlighting that just two days ago, Google announced a major investment in Andhra Pradesh. He informed that Google is set to establish India’s first Artificial Intelligence Hub in the state. This new AI Hub will feature powerful AI infrastructure, data center capacity, large-scale energy sources, and an expanded fiber-optic network, noted the Prime Minister.

Announcing that Google’s AI Hub investment will include the development of a new International Subsea Gateway, the Prime Minister remarked that this gateway will comprise multiple international subsea cables reaching India’s eastern coast at Visakhapatnam. He stated that this project will establish Visakhapatnam as a major hub for AI and global connectivity, serving not just India but the entire world. He extended special congratulations to the people of Andhra Pradesh for this achievement.

Affirming that the development of Andhra Pradesh is essential for India’s progress, and the growth of Rayalaseema is vital for Andhra’s advancement, Shri Modi stated that the projects launched today on the soil of Kurnool will open new doors of employment and prosperity across every district of Rayalaseema, accelerating industrial development in the region.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to establish new industrial corridors and hubs to accelerate Andhra Pradesh’s development. He stated that the government is developing Orvakal and Kopparthy as the new industrial identity of the state. Increasing investments in these regions are continuously generating new employment opportunities.

“Today, the world views India as the new manufacturing center of the 21st century, with the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat being the foundation of this success”, exclaimed the Prime Minister, emphasizing that Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a key contributor to the success of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He remarked that previous governments neglected Andhra Pradesh’s capabilities, causing a setback to the entire nation. A state that could have propelled national progress was left to struggle for its own development. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that under their government, Andhra Pradesh’s trajectory is changing, with rapid growth in manufacturing. He announced the launch of an Advanced Night Vision factory in Nimmaluru, marking another step towards self-reliance in the defence sector. He added that this facility will enhance India’s capability to produce night vision equipment, missile sensors, and drone guard systems, and will elevate the country’s defence exports to new heights. He further remarked that the entire world had witnessed the success of Indigenous weapon systems during Operation Sindoor.

Expressing satisfaction that the Andhra Pradesh government has resolved to develop Kurnool as India’s drone hub, the Prime Minister stated that through the drone industry, several new sectors linked to futuristic technologies will emerge in Kurnool and across Andhra. He cited the success of drones in Operation Sindoor and affirmed that Kurnool will become a national strength in the drone sector in the coming years. Shri Modi reiterated the government’s vision of citizen-centric development, highlighting ongoing reforms aimed at simplifying citizens’ lives. He noted that income up to ₹12 lakh is now completely tax-free, and initiatives such as affordable medicines, low-cost healthcare, and Ayushman cards for senior citizens have ushered in a new chapter in ease of living.

The Prime Minister announced that significant GST reductions have been implemented from the first day of Navratri. He expressed happiness at witnessing the celebration of the GST Bachat Utsav under the leadership of Nara Lokesh Garu and commended the successful rollout of the “Super GST – Super Savings” campaign. He shared that next-generation GST reforms are expected to yield savings of over ₹8,000 crore for the people of Andhra Pradesh, enhancing the festive spirit. The Prime Minister urged that the GST Savings Festival be celebrated in alignment with the ‘Vocal for Local’ pledge. He concluded by stating that the dream of a developed India will be realized through a developed Andhra Pradesh, and once again congratulated the people of the state for the new projects.

The Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Syed Abdul Nazeer, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Union Cabinet Ministers, Shri Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Shri Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma  were present among other dignitaries at the event.

Background 

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth around Rs 13,430 crore. These projects span across key sectors including industry, power transmission, roads, railways, defence manufacturing, and petroleum and natural gas, reflecting the Government’s commitment to enhancing regional infrastructure, accelerating industrialisation, and driving inclusive socio-economic growth in the state.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the Transmission System Strengthening at Kurnool-III Pooling Station, at an investment of over Rs 2,880 crore. The project includes the construction of a 765 KV double-circuit Kurnool-III Pooling Station–Chilakaluripeta transmission line, which will increase transformation capacity by 6,000 MVA and enable large-scale transmission of renewable energy to support the nation’s growth.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stones for the Orvakal Industrial Area in Kurnool and the Kopparthy Industrial Area in Kadapa, with a total investment of over Rs 4,920 crore. Developed jointly by National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) and Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (APIIC), these modern, multi-sectoral industrial hubs feature plug-and-play infrastructure and a walk-to-work concept. They are expected to attract Rs. 21,000 crore in investments and generate approximately one lakh jobs, boosting industrial development and global competitiveness in Andhra Pradesh’s Rayalaseema region.

To enhance road infrastructure, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the six-lane Greenfield Highway from Sabbavaram to Sheelanagar over Rs. 960 crore, aimed at easing congestion in Visakhapatnam and facilitating trade and employment. In addition, six road projects worth around a total of Rs. 1,140 crore will be inaugurated, including the four-laning of the Pileru–Kalur section, widening from Kadapa/Nellore border to CS Puram, the four-lane Rail over Bridge (ROB) between Gudivada and Nujella Railway Stations on NH-165, the major bridge across Papagni River on NH-716, the Kanigiri Bypass on NH-565, and the improvement of the bypassed section in N. Gundlapalli Town on NH-544DD. These projects will improve safety, reduce travel time, and strengthen regional connectivity across Andhra Pradesh.

The Prime Minister further laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation several key railway projects worth over Rs. 1,200 crore. The projects include the laying of the foundation stone for the Kottavalasa-Vizianagaram Fourth Railway Line and the Rail Flyover between Pendurti and Simhachalam North, and the dedication to the nation of the doubling of the Kottavalasa-Boddavara section and the Shimiliguda-Gorapur section. These projects will reduce congestion, ensure faster and safer journeys, facilitate smooth movement of passengers and freight, and promote industrial, trade, and tourism growth across the region, while generating employment opportunities for local communities.

In the energy sector, the Prime Minister dedicated the nation, Srikakulam–Angul Natural Gas Pipeline of GAIL India Limited, built at a total cost of around Rs 1,730 crore, spanning around 124 km in Andhra Pradesh and 298 km in Odisha. He also inaugurated Indian Oil’s 60 TMTPA (Thousand Metric Tonnes per annum) LPG bottling plant at Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, established at an investment of around Rs.200 crore. The plant will serve over 7.2 lakh customers through 80 distributors across four districts of Andhra Pradesh, two districts of Tamil Nadu, and one district of Karnataka. It will play a critical role in ensuring reliable LPG supply for households and businesses in the region.

To strengthen defence manufacturing, the Prime Minister dedicated the Advanced Night Vision Products Factory at Nimmaluru, Krishna district, established by Bharat Electronics Limited at an investment of around Rs.360 crore. The facility will manufacture advanced electro-optical systems for the Indian Defence Forces, reinforcing self-reliance in defence production and promoting skilled employment in the region.

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MJPS/SR